1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a stereo camera, and more particularly, to a stereo camera installed in a vehicle.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recently, with increasing interest in autonomous vehicles, research on sensors mounted in such autonomous vehicles is being actively made. As examples of the sensors mounted in autonomous vehicles, there are cameras, infrared sensors, radars, GPS devices, lidars, gyroscopes and the like. Among these, the camera is a sensor functioning as an eye and thus is a critical component.
Meanwhile, a stereo camera, which is one type of camera mounted in a vehicle, may be utilized to detect a distance to an obstacle using a disparity map. Such a stereo camera includes a plurality of components as well as two cameras, and thus requires a space for accommodating the components. Furthermore, owing to heat generated from the plurality of components, there may be problems in image processing in the stereo camera. Accordingly, research and development on a space for accommodating components of the camera and research and development on a heat dissipation technology are desperately needed.
Generally, a stereo camera is mounted on a windshield of a vehicle having an inclination angle and a radius of curvature which differ depending on the type of the vehicle. Hence, there is a problem in that the stereo camera has to be manufactured in accordance with the type of vehicle. Furthermore, when stereo cameras are mass produced in accordance with the types of vehicles, a production line and a production process have to be changed depending on the type of vehicle, thus causing an increase in manufacturing costs such as capital investment.